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2022 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k

20 Ranked Colleges
773 Degrees Awarded
$15,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

International Relations & National Security is the 65th most popular major in the country with 14,762 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, international relations and national security graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $38,051 and had an average of $28,099 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southwest region, there were 773 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $44,025 and $30,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 20 colleges that offer a degree in international relations and national security. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great international relations and national security programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the international relations and national security program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank International Relations & National Security Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 21 Best Value Colleges for International Relations & National Security (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region

#1

Rice University

Houston, Texas

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Rice University landed the #1 spot on the list. Houston, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

Rice not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Rice University is $7,534 for southwest region international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Rice

#2

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Arizona landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Arizona is a large public school situated in Tucson, Arizona. It awarded 43 ’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Arizona, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Arizona is $11,466 for Southwest Region International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Full University of Arizona International Relations & National Security Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Texas A&M University - College Station. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Texas A&M College Station is located in College Station, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 127 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Texas A&M College Station also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $13,270 for southwest region international relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Texas A&M University - College Station.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Texas A&M College Station

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Texas at San Antonio. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. San Antonio, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UTSA, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend The University of Texas at San Antonio is $11,109 for southwest region international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at The University of Texas at San Antonio

#5

Angelo State University

San Angelo, Texas

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Angelo State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Angelo State University is a public institution located in San Angelo, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 63 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Angelo State, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $11,516 for southwest region international relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Angelo State.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Angelo State University

Arizona State University - Tempe landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Tempe, Arizona, and it awarded 34 ’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

ASU - Tempe also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for ASU - Tempe is $8,921 for Southwest Region International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Arizona State University - Tempe International Relations & National Security Report

#7

Trinity University

San Antonio, Texas

Trinity University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in San Antonio, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 7 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

Trinity U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Trinity University is $12,991 for Southwest Region International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Trinity U International Relations & National Security Report

With a ranking of #8, The University of Texas at Austin did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Austin, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 44 students in 2019-2020.

UT Austin also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for UT Austin is $13,575 for southwest region international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at The University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at El Paso came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. El Paso, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 44 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UTEP, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at El Paso is $7,427 for Southwest Region International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at The University of Texas at El Paso

#10

Texas State University

San Marcos, Texas

With a ranking of #10, Texas State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in San Marcos, Texas, and it awarded 23 ’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region international relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, Texas State has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Texas State is $12,292 for southwest region international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Texas State University

#11

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Flagstaff, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 41 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region international relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, NAU has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $9,799 for southwest region international relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend NAU.

Full Northern Arizona University International Relations & National Security Report

#12

St. Mary's University

San Antonio, Texas

St. Mary’s University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. San Antonio, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.

St. Mary’s did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for St. Mary’s University is $17,581 for Southwest Region International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full St. Mary’s University International Relations & National Security Report

#12

Arizona State University - Skysong

Scottsdale, Arizona

Arizona State University - Skysong landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Arizona State University - Skysong is located in Scottsdale, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 45 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

ASU - Skysong also took the #16 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend ASU - Skysong is $12,020 for Southwest Region International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Arizona State University - Skysong

#13

Austin College

Sherman, Texas

With a ranking of #13, Austin College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Sherman, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

Austin College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $17,848 for Southwest Region International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Austin College.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Austin College International Relations & National Security Report

With a ranking of #14, University of Central Oklahoma did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Edmond, Oklahoma is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region international relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, UCO has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCO is $13,381 for Southwest Region International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full University of Central Oklahoma International Relations & National Security Report

#15

University of New Mexico - Main Campus

Albuquerque, New Mexico

University of New Mexico - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. UNM is a large public school situated in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It awarded 20 ’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNM, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of New Mexico - Main Campus is $14,458 for southwest region international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at UNM

#16

Southwestern University

Georgetown, Texas
#14 in overall quality

Southwestern University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Southwestern is located in Georgetown, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Southwestern also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Southwestern University is $21,578 for Southwest Region International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Southwestern University

#17

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, Texas

Texas Christian University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Texas Christian University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fort Worth, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at TCU, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend TCU is $23,246 for southwest region international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at TCU

#18

Howard Payne University

Brownwood, Texas

Howard Payne University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Howard Payne is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Brownwood, Texas. It awarded 2 ’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Howard Payne also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $20,733 for Southwest Region International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Howard Payne University.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Howard Payne University

#19

Baylor University

Waco, Texas

With a ranking of #19, Baylor University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Baylor University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Waco, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 51 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Baylor not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Baylor University is $29,849 for Southwest Region International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Baylor International Relations & National Security Report

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Prescott, Arizona. It awarded 106 ’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Embry-Riddle Prescott also took the #4 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott is $32,661 for Southwest Region International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Embry-Riddle Prescott

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Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to RepubFan12.

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